Leigh Sloggett – Wait for the Change

Wait for the Change is Leigh’s fourth album release and is a mixture of original acoustic blues and contemporary folk. It includes one cover song, ‘Moonshine’, a country blues written by Memphis Minnie and a radical rearrangement/reworking of Leroy Carr’s How Long Blues.
The title of the album comes from the opening track and is a comment on the need for patience and resilience, two traits that were drawn deeply on to see this project through to the end. It took four years to complete due not only to the COVID pandemic but also to hindrances from life in general.
Besides Leigh on vocals and playing a range of guitars (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic lap slide, electric lap steel and high strung guitar) it features Chris Riseley on double bass and backing vocals on track 3, Les Oldman on drums and backing vocals on tracks 1 and 2 and Patrick Evans on violin and backing vocals on tracks 3 and 11.
For tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Leigh and Les were recorded live at Selby Community House with the other recording done at Fret Wire Studio. It was engineered by David Miller, mixed by Robert B Dillon and mastered by David Briggs. Leigh designed the cover. The portrait on the inside cover taken by Sam Tilders. Leigh took the other images.

 

About the artist: Growing up in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, Leigh took up guitar at the age of twelve. His first guitar teacher introduced him to the blues, which had immediate appeal and has remained a strong influence on his music until today. Music, especially guitar, guided him through his adolescence. However he put his guitar down in his early twenties to pursue his interest in art, only to return to it in his early thirties. It was at this time he started playing lap slide guitar and once again began writing songs, which gave him a musical focus. This led him to performing and on to recording his debut album titled ‘Sliding to your Destiny’ which he released in April 2006. On the 30th of November 2008 Leigh launched his second album titled ‘Looking for the Clues’ with a concert at the Guild Theatre in Melbourne. Leigh performs regularly around Melbourne and did his first tour overseas in 2008.

A laid-back yet intense musical force is born when authenticity meets refined talent. Leigh Sloggett’s earthy song writing and commanding style extends beyond the diverse foundations of Blues and Folk. Evocative timbres and a soulful touch are brought together by searing roots guitar and lap slide.

In October 2022 Leigh released his fourth titled ‘Wait for the Change’ which went on to reach No.1 position on the ‘Roots Report Top 50 Australian Album Chart’ and No.10 on the ‘Australian Blues and Roots Airplay Chart’. It was also ‘Album of the Month’ on West Norfolk Radio’s Sunday Show presented by Jane Clayton. His 2012 album ‘More Than I Need’ reached number 8 on the Australian Blues and Roots charts. In 2014 The Leigh Sloggett Duo were finalists MBAS Blues Challenge. As well as numerous at Festivals appearances he has toured internationally and has been performing consistently over the past 20 years building his reputation as a unique song writing and guitarist.

In recent years Leigh performs with his trio consisting of Chris Riseley on double bass or Matt Crump on drums and on occasions with either of them in a duo format and also solo.

 

CD review by Tony Smith

TN2522-81 – $25

TN157 Aug 23

All tracks on this 2022 album were composed and arranged by Leigh Sloggett except the blues standards ‘Moonshine’ by Memphis Minnie and ‘How Long’ which has lyrics by Leroy Carr.

Sloggett also supplies vocals as well as playing acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic lap slide, electric lap steel and high strung guitar.

Supporting musicians on various tracks are Chris Riseley (double bass and backing vocals), Les Oldman (drums and backing vocals) and Patrick Evans (violin, mandolin and backing vocals).

The title track opens the album and finds someone ‘down on my luck, loaded with debt, worrying about payments that I hadn’t met’.

It’s a universal problem and this song lets listeners know he is like them.

This is Sloggett’s fourth album and the first for almost a decade.

Over the years he has collaborated with many artists including Nick Charles and Liz Frencham.

In the meantime, he issued the striking single ‘Fragile’, which is the longest track on this album.

It is a brooding piece with plenty of driving guitar work almost in the acid-rock style – think Jimi Hendrix.

The lyrics concern a man feeling the worse for wear and his mood does not improve when he admits that he is not like he used to be, looking in the mirror he is surprised to see an old man!

A feature of the album is the way Leigh Sloggett positions the tracks for contrast.

They are all foot-tapping and danceable, but some are slower blues while others have a walking beat.

Almost every track features a catchy guitar introduction while ‘Fragile’ opens with equally catchy drums.

The Leroy Carr song, ‘How Long’, asks when a train left the station.

This is a metaphor for a relationship and really ponders how long it has been over without the bloke noticing.

This is followed by ‘Helping the Vegies Grow’ and is also a metaphor for domestic matters, this time upbeat and optimistic, although initially, the singer fears he is coming second to his girl’s vegie patch.

‘Fast Train’ follows the weighty ‘Fragile’ and provides a nice contrast.

The slower ‘Shinjuku Bound’ also suggests a train journey as the singer observes the sights along the way and the rhythm seems right for a slow trip by rail.

This is followed by ‘Switchback’, an instrumental.

The tune is laid back and has a tension which always seems about to break.

‘Damn You Wind’ is a complaint about that familiar horror, a fire in the Australian bush which threatens a town.

‘Compassion Deficit’ is perhaps the best track here: ‘Give me love over hate and derision/ Give me wind over dirty brown coal/ A good life is a life lived with empathy/ In a world where compassion takes hold’.

Not only do the lyrics go beyond personal problems into the area of global issues, but the guitar work is particularly interesting.

Indeed, a feature of the album is the uncompromising guitar playing by Leigh Sloggett, whichever instrument he picks up.

‘Brand New Suit’ is a heavier track: ‘the one thing you can take with you is your black suit when you die’.

In some respects, this is an ideal final word.

‘Wait for the Change’ is a very strong album by Leigh Sloggett.

Fans will reckon say that this set of tunes has made the wait well worthwhile.

Whether your ear emphasises the highly skilled guitar work or the passion in the lyrics, Leigh Sloggett comes across as the real deal in the world of blues.